Inubosaki Lighthouse

Inubosaki Lighthouse is one of only 16 ‘climbable lighthouses’ in Japan, and it is also recognized as one of the World’s 100 Famous Lighthouses. Located at Inubosaki on the easternmost tip of the Choshi Peninsula, its white tower is a symbolic landmark of Choshi tourism. A famous feature is the white mailbox installed near the tower. The lighthouse is a Western-style brick lighthouse about 32 meters tall, built in 1874 (Meiji 7) based on a design by British engineer Richard Henry Brunton. It is known for being the first lighthouse to use domestically produced bricks in Japan and for housing a large first-order Fresnel lens. It is also registered as a Modern Industrial Heritage (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) and as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan. After climbing the 99-step spiral staircase, you can look down on the rocky reefs below the cliffs where rough waves crash, and enjoy a grand ocean view. Next to the lighthouse are the Inubosaki Lighthouse Museum and the commercial complex Inubo Terrasse Terrasse, where you can buy local seasonal vegetables and processed foods. You can even eat what you buy on the 2nd-floor hammocks while looking out at the sea. Access is from Choshi Electric Railway Inubo Station, about a 10-minute walk.